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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
DNF - Could not get in to the story and cannot imagine reading 10 books of this.
This was a slow read. Took me about a month. Sometimes that's a sign that I don't like a book, and that I'm just stubbornly trying to finish it. I want to emphatically note that this is not the case here. I enjoyed the prose and story of this book. But it was also not easy to read. I have a couple meanings when I say "not easy to read."
Prose
In The Curse of the Mistwraith, Wurts writes with a style of dense description, choosing words precisely to evoke an exact image of a scene. If you're the type who can visualize things when you're reading, I'm sure it's super cinematic. I agree with another review I saw that said that Wurts writes like a painter paints. She visualizes scenes in a detailed way, and it's fun to read. I think if you are a writer trying to figure out how to write detailed descriptions that give verisimilitude without veering into the overwrought or tedious, this is instructive. That said, this style of writing steals all of your focus in reading it, meaning this is not something I was able to read while sleepy or distracted by something. There's the first meaning of "not easy to read".
Story
Here's some broad notes: The two main protagonists, half brothers, are fully realized characters with deep personalities and qualities. These two are classic foils - one of them is outwardly charming and diplomatic, the other one does not give as good a first impression but is deeply defined by his empathy and compassion for others. Wurts deftly shows you who a character is through their actions. The narrative is written in third person omniscient, sometimes jumping between points of view, and this is used to full effect in defining characterization. I found the worldbuilding to be a playful blend of familiar elements and subversions. In a world with magical bloodlines, why not include magical powers for the children in a bride's dowry? What if the nobles were The plot involves prophecies, chosen ones, and heroes brought in from another world, but also plays with those ideas in a way that I found fun.
Criticisms
My preference is generally to read books that contain female characters who are fully realized people with agency and value beyond who they are to the male characters in the story. Now, this book was published in 1993, so I'm not weighing this against the author. Values shift, and some things just age poorly, and it's not really anyone's fault. That said, there is one fully realized POV female character, and a lot of her plot relevance centers around her interest in one of the main characters. Additionally, the default fellowship sorcerer appears to be male. The female magicians are all in the women-only sect, which plays only a minor role in this book and are defined by their antagonistic relationship with the fellowship.
Another characterization that has aged poorly, perhaps: employing a fat man as a source of comic relief. Wurts does this with two different characters.
Tone
This book follows a tried and true trajectory of action - exciting beginning, slow middle, everything going to crap at the end. The other thing that made this "not easy to read" was the senseless brutality and violence at the end. Is it a spoiler to say that this book features? Not in any graphic detail, thankfully. The war very neatly . The writing is not timid about the realities of war, and although there is a nobility and gracefulness to the story, it's also really, really bloody. You've been warned.
Conclusions
This book is not easy to read due to the dense style of writing and due to some of the brutal elements of the story. I think it's worthwhile to read it for the well-thought out characters and interesting worldbuilding.
Prose
In The Curse of the Mistwraith, Wurts writes with a style of dense description, choosing words precisely to evoke an exact image of a scene. If you're the type who can visualize things when you're reading, I'm sure it's super cinematic. I agree with another review I saw that said that Wurts writes like a painter paints. She visualizes scenes in a detailed way, and it's fun to read. I think if you are a writer trying to figure out how to write detailed descriptions that give verisimilitude without veering into the overwrought or tedious, this is instructive. That said, this style of writing steals all of your focus in reading it, meaning this is not something I was able to read while sleepy or distracted by something. There's the first meaning of "not easy to read".
Story
Here's some broad notes: The two main protagonists, half brothers, are fully realized characters with deep personalities and qualities. These two are classic foils - one of them is outwardly charming and diplomatic, the other one does not give as good a first impression but is deeply defined by his empathy and compassion for others. Wurts deftly shows you who a character is through their actions. The narrative is written in third person omniscient, sometimes jumping between points of view, and this is used to full effect in defining characterization. I found the worldbuilding to be a playful blend of familiar elements and subversions. In a world with magical bloodlines, why not include magical powers for the children in a bride's dowry? What if the nobles were
Spoiler
all stuck in the mountains as violent, roving barbarian bandits while the townspeople who overthrew them are living it up as basically the new nobles?Criticisms
My preference is generally to read books that contain female characters who are fully realized people with agency and value beyond who they are to the male characters in the story. Now, this book was published in 1993, so I'm not weighing this against the author. Values shift, and some things just age poorly, and it's not really anyone's fault. That said, there is one fully realized POV female character, and a lot of her plot relevance centers around her interest in one of the main characters. Additionally, the default fellowship sorcerer appears to be male. The female magicians are all in the women-only sect, which plays only a minor role in this book and are defined by their antagonistic relationship with the fellowship.
Another characterization that has aged poorly, perhaps: employing a fat man as a source of comic relief. Wurts does this with two different characters.
Tone
This book follows a tried and true trajectory of action - exciting beginning, slow middle, everything going to crap at the end. The other thing that made this "not easy to read" was the senseless brutality and violence at the end. Is it a spoiler to say that this book features
Spoiler
rapeSpoiler
kills off some characters in a way that will probably create some kind of motivation for the orphan left behindConclusions
This book is not easy to read due to the dense style of writing and due to some of the brutal elements of the story. I think it's worthwhile to read it for the well-thought out characters and interesting worldbuilding.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Los temas que trata son... complejos, y tienen unas capas que jamás he visto en fantasía. Es denso que te mueres, y la cosa es que no sé si la complejidad de los temas justifica necesariamente lo denso que es. Vaya, que hay partes que son un tostonazo (aunque un tostonazo necesario, según tengo entendido por los libros de después). Muy intenso emocionalmente y muy homérico. Esto en su época tuvo que ser tan fuerte y nuevo y distinto que... no lo leyó nadie.
4.5 stars - this book has my so excited! I'm convinced I've found my new epic fantasy love!
I do have some criticisms mainly around why the relationship between Arithon and Lysaer changes so quickly. Personally, I think it would've been more interesting for it to be a personal/philosophical cause, rather than what it ends up being... Especially as we're set up for the half brothers to be so fundamentally different but spend over half this book trying to huild a relationship... However, they really don't detract from my overall love.
The prose is great, characters are interesting, and Wurts' execution of a lot of popular fantasy tropes is fantastic. I'm far too excited about book 2 and seeing where this goes from here!
I do have some criticisms mainly around why the relationship between Arithon and Lysaer changes so quickly. Personally, I think it would've been more interesting for it to be a personal/philosophical cause, rather than what it ends up being... Especially as we're set up for the half brothers to be so fundamentally different but spend over half this book trying to huild a relationship... However, they really don't detract from my overall love.
The prose is great, characters are interesting, and Wurts' execution of a lot of popular fantasy tropes is fantastic. I'm far too excited about book 2 and seeing where this goes from here!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book completely took over my life for the past two weeks.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes